Earth Sciences, Planetary Geology Specialization B.S.

The Planetary Geology Specialization is designed for students planning a career as a professional geologist with government agencies (e.g. NASA) or the remote sensing industry. In addition, students will be prepared for graduate-level studies in geology or related fields.

Requirements

Geological Sciences Core (18 credits)

GSCI 121	The Dynamic Earth	3
	or
GSCI 131	Environmental Geoscience	3
	or
GSCI 125	The Dynamic Earth Laboratory	1
	or
GSCI 135	Environmental Geoscience Laboratory	1
	or
GSCI 141	Earth and Life History	3
GSCI 145	Earth and Life History Laboratory	1
GSCI 221	Mineralogy	4
GSCI 223	Stratigraphy and Sedimentology	4
GSCI 290	Field Methods in Geology	2

 

In addition, 2 to 4 credits from ESCI 460 or 4 credits from an external geology field camp approved by the Department Chair are required.

 

The following 26 credits are also required as follows:

AST 208	Planetary Astronomy	4
	or
AST 209	Stellar and Galactic Astronomy	4
AST 278	Observational Astronomy	4
AST 378	Comparative Planetology	3
GSCI 360	Research Methods in the Geological Sciences	1
GSCI 424	Geomorphology	4

In addition, 2-4 credits from GSCI 460 Senior Project or 4 credits from an external geology field camp approved by the Department Chair are required.

 

The remaining 6-8 credits will be chosen from:

AST 418	Astrophysics	3
AST 470	Extrasolar Planets and Astrobiology	3
AST 478	Planetary Image Analysis	3
GSCI 321	Structural Geology	4
GSCI 322	Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology	4

GSCI 350 Computer Methods in the Geological Sciences - 3 credits

Or other electives as selected in consultation with the student's advisor.

 

In addition, the following 24 credits are required:

CHEM 161	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 162	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
CHEM 201	Foundations of Analytical Chemistry Laboratory	1
CHEM 260	Foundations of Inorganic Chemistry	3
MATH 152	Calculus I	4
MATH 221	Calculus II	4
PHYS 125	University Physics I	4
PHYS 126	University Physics II	4